1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a belt-fixing mechanism. Specifically, the present invention relates to a belt-fixing mechanism for fixing an end of a belt which seals a slit of a drive apparatus or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
The fluid pressure-driven apparatus such as a rodless cylinder is used as a means for transporting a workpiece. The rodless cylinder has a belt-fixing mechanism for fixing a seal belt (upper belt). The seal belt prevents dust or the like from entering externally through a slit.
In the belt-fixing mechanism, a fixing member is pressed against the seal belt formed of a metal material so that the seal belt may be fixed by the frictional force.
In the conventional belt-fixing mechanism for the rodless cylinder used as a fluid pressure fluid-driven apparatus, both ends of the seal belt are interposed between the fixing members and fastening members which are connected to both ends of a cylinder tube respectively.
In the method of fixing the seal belt with the frictional force thereof, the fixing member is pressed against the inner surface of the fastening member for fixing the seal belt. Therefore, the positional accuracy of the height position of the fixed seal belt is low due to any dimensional error of each of the members such as the fastening member, the fixing member and the seal belt.
Further, there is a difference between the height position of the fixation plane for the seal belt on the fastening member and the height position of the laying plane for the seal belt on the upper surface of the cylinder tube. Therefore, the seal belt may be bent near the fastening member and may float over the laying plane for the seal belt. Accordingly, the dust or the like may enter through a clearance between the seal belt and the laying plane.
Further, if the seal belt floats over the laying plane in the conventional rodless cylinder, the fastening members, the fixing members and the seal belt are disassembled to perform the adjustment operation and are assembled again, which is complicated to result in the low operation efficiency.
It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide a belt-fixing mechanism which conveniently adjusts a height position of a belt for avoiding any influence of dimensional error of each of peripheral members including the belt.
A principal object of the present invention is to provide a belt-fixing mechanism which avoids any dimensional error of each of peripheral members including a belt for further improving the sealing performance of the belt.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a belt-fixing mechanism which avoids any complicated adjustment operation for improving the assembling operability and the operation efficiency.
The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.